Witches (The Order)Revised

Chapter 59

Merianna

"You really don't need to carry me all the way back Zeriel." I deadpanned as we reached the Gateway that had Fog's energy vibrating around it.

"That may be so My Lady, but please indulge me as this makes me feel more secure in the knowledge that you are indeed safe." He said with a tense smile. The encounter with that man and the demon must have been a little too close for Hezerial's liking. What I couldn't shake, and what kept replying in my mind, was the name that Noch called the man by, Dermon. Now, I could also put a name to the face. It shocked me that Noch knew who he was, now at least I had something good to ask him.

The moment that Zerial walked through the gateway and into the Atrium with me in his arms, we were thrust into a clamour of chaos. People were talking, arguing, groaning in pain as bandages and medicines were applied to wounds, and more. I was glad to see the coven members all safe and secure as well as the pregnant woman from the basement.

Hezerial gently put me down on my feet as Junnie suddenly came popping through the gateway as well. I waited for Thyrion to come barreling through after her, but frowned when he didn't. "Where is Thyrion?" I asked Junnie.

She looked behind her at the gateway and just shrugged. "He will come through soon enough." She waved off as she studied my face. "Does someone have a fancy?!" She teased and pinched my cheeks.

With a frustrated goan, I slapped her hands away and rubbed my stinging cheeks. "I'm asking because so far he's been nothing but a thorn in my side, and a person would notice if that thorn suddenly went missing. Plus, it's not me that fancies him." I said indignantly with a huff. I would rather chew my nails off than grow a fancy for Thyrion.

Before Junnie could ask me anything, a whirl of white-blonde curls came flying at me. "MERI!!!" Nelia squealed as she crushed me and the reaper to her, which reminded me that I got stabbed in the arm.

"Ouch-ouch-ouch, arm! ARM!" I complained loudly as I struggled for freedom.

With a gasp Nelia suddenly let me go, which made air rush back into my starved lungs. I started falling backwards until Hezerial caught me under my arms and righted me back on my feet again.

"Meri! Are you alright?! You're covered in wounds!" She quivered as she started looking me over.

"That's a lie!" I protested. "I'm not covered in them!"

She gave me a raised eyebrow and pointed at my bandaged and leaking arm. "That's a stab wound." I explained.

She pointed next to the side of my head, which I assumed was probably still bleeding. "I don't see or feel anything, so that doesn't count."

She next pointed to a rip in my breaches that had flecks of blood around the seams. "It's not broken, so that also doesn't count."

"Meri!" Nelia exclaimed in frustration.

"What?!" I asked defensively. "I'm not gushing blood or comatose and nothing is broken or lost so I'm fine! Look behind you, those people need your help a lot more than I do." I shrugged and pointed behind her to the injured Coven and Order members.

She glanced behind her but then just as quickly turned back to me with a frown. "I have already checked on them because they arrived before you. You're the newest patient." She said as she took hold of my uninjured arm and pulled me towards a bench.

She grabbed a clean container and deftly pulled moisture from the air into it. "Honestly Meri, you need to take better care of yourself when you go out in these battles. In the first one you exhausted yourself, with the Nirn's you were lucky to end up unscathed, and this time you got stabbed and heavens know what else!" She rambled on as she soaked some herbs in the water, some of which I recognized to be lavender and mint cuts and grabbed a clean cloth.